We use Shared Google Docs to share and collaborate in real time. Google Docs works similarly to Microsoft Office in that it includes a word processor, spreadsheet, and other typical office software - but it also includes file sharing and real time collaboration on documents.
Intro to Google Docs
Accessing Documents Shared with the UC Second Life Team
In order to access team documents, you will need to have already created your Gmail account, and your supervisor will need to add your account access to the team's shared directory.
- To start, log into your Gmail account and click the "Documents" link in the upper right corner.
- This will take you to your Google Docs home screen. Look to the menu on the left and expand the directory labeled "Collections Shared with Me".
- One of the folders you will see is called "UCSL Shared Files". Expand this folder to see the various sub-directories.
In addition to shared documents, you can also upload any file type to our shared directories, including image files or any other file type. This is where we share files with the team and you should be sure to always keep copies of your work files on our Google Docs.
Recording Your Project Work & Linden Dollar ($L) Expenditures
In addition to shared documents, you will also see two spreadsheets used to track the time you spend working on projects, as well as a spreadsheet to track the amount of Linden Dollars (L$) that you spend in Second Life.
Tracking Your Project Work
All members of the team have their own Project Time Tracking spreadsheet where we record the number of hours we work on the various projects in progress. These spreadsheets are used both to help management understand how you are spending your time, as well as to bill customers who pay for our development services. Failure to honestly and accurately update your Project Time Tracking sheet on a daily basis (i.e. every work shift) is cause for termination!! Management needs to understand what tasks you are working on, and we must be able to accurately account for our time when we bill customers for work performed.
Here is an example of one person's spreadsheet:
Typically any kind of work that is not performed for a billable project is listed under "UCSL Project" as the generic catch-all category. So for example, today, you will list your hours worked under the project heading "UCSL Project" and in the Tasks field enter something like "Google Docs training" or "Second Life training".
You must record your hours worked and tasks performed every single day that you work before your shift ends! Most team members do this at the end of the day before they leave or clock out.
Tracking your Linden Dollar (L$) Expenditures
In addition to tracking your project work time, you must also keep track of the Linden Dollars (L$) that you spend in Second Life. Second Life has its own currency (see the Chapter 3: Introduction to Second Life - Money & Economy section of this wiki for more information) and you will be given a certain amount of Linden Dollars (L$) to use in your day to day work. Things that you may need to spend Linden Dollars (L$) on include the fees to upload images, sounds, or animations when we are creating or working on projects, tools or items that may help with your work, or other items that may be purchased at stores in Second Life or on the Second Life Marketplace.
Other than system upload fees for images, sounds, animations, or mesh files, ALL PURCHASES must be approved by your supervisor no matter how inexpensive the item! Failure to accurately and honestly account for your Linden Dollar (L$) expenditures in a timely manner will be cause for termination!!
The best practice is to record your Linden Dollar (L$) expenditures as you spend them instead of waiting until the end of the day. This ensures that your spreadsheet is always current and accurate and that you won't forget what you spent money on later.
Here is an example of one student's spreadsheet:
Note that Marketplace purchases include a direct link to the item purchased.
Be sure to keep up with your expenditures of Linden dollars, your Project Time Tracking, and use the service spreadsheet to record contacts with visitors to our virtual campus.
Intro to Google Docs
Accessing Documents Shared with the UC Second Life Team
In order to access team documents, you will need to have already created your Gmail account, and your supervisor will need to add your account access to the team's shared directory.
- To start, log into your Gmail account and click the "Documents" link in the upper right corner.
- This will take you to your Google Docs home screen. Look to the menu on the left and expand the directory labeled "Collections Shared with Me".
- One of the folders you will see is called "UCSL Shared Files". Expand this folder to see the various sub-directories.
In addition to shared documents, you can also upload any file type to our shared directories, including image files or any other file type. This is where we share files with the team and you should be sure to always keep copies of your work files on our Google Docs.
Recording Your Project Work & Linden Dollar ($L) Expenditures
In addition to shared documents, you will also see two spreadsheets used to track the time you spend working on projects, as well as a spreadsheet to track the amount of Linden Dollars (L$) that you spend in Second Life.
Tracking Your Project Work
All members of the team have their own Project Time Tracking spreadsheet where we record the number of hours we work on the various projects in progress. These spreadsheets are used both to help management understand how you are spending your time, as well as to bill customers who pay for our development services. Failure to honestly and accurately update your Project Time Tracking sheet on a daily basis (i.e. every work shift) is cause for termination!! Management needs to understand what tasks you are working on, and we must be able to accurately account for our time when we bill customers for work performed.
Here is an example of one person's spreadsheet:
Typically any kind of work that is not performed for a billable project is listed under "UCSL Project" as the generic catch-all category. So for example, today, you will list your hours worked under the project heading "UCSL Project" and in the Tasks field enter something like "Google Docs training" or "Second Life training".
You must record your hours worked and tasks performed every single day that you work before your shift ends! Most team members do this at the end of the day before they leave or clock out.
Tracking your Linden Dollar (L$) Expenditures
In addition to tracking your project work time, you must also keep track of the Linden Dollars (L$) that you spend in Second Life. Second Life has its own currency (see the Chapter 3: Introduction to Second Life - Money & Economy section of this wiki for more information) and you will be given a certain amount of Linden Dollars (L$) to use in your day to day work. Things that you may need to spend Linden Dollars (L$) on include the fees to upload images, sounds, or animations when we are creating or working on projects, tools or items that may help with your work, or other items that may be purchased at stores in Second Life or on the Second Life Marketplace.
Other than system upload fees for images, sounds, animations, or mesh files, ALL PURCHASES must be approved by your supervisor no matter how inexpensive the item! Failure to accurately and honestly account for your Linden Dollar (L$) expenditures in a timely manner will be cause for termination!!
The best practice is to record your Linden Dollar (L$) expenditures as you spend them instead of waiting until the end of the day. This ensures that your spreadsheet is always current and accurate and that you won't forget what you spent money on later.
Here is an example of one student's spreadsheet:
Note that Marketplace purchases include a direct link to the item purchased.
Be sure to keep up with your expenditures of Linden dollars, your Project Time Tracking, and use the service spreadsheet to record contacts with visitors to our virtual campus.
Continue to Chapter 2 - Office Procedures Using Shared Google Calendar.